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Mr Texas

by Lawrence Wright

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682389,087 (3.73)3
"Sonny Lamb is an affable, if floundering, rancher with the unfortunate habit of becoming a punchline in his Texas hometown. Most recently, he bought his own bull at auction, saving it from being sold to a slaughterhouse. But when a fire breaks out at a neighbors farm, Sonny makes headlines in another way: Not waiting for help, he bolts to the farm and heroically saves the familys daughter and her horse, riding the animal out of their burning barn. Within days of the event, he attracts the notice of a mysterious man named L.D. who arrives at his door and asks if hed like to run as a Republican for his districts representative seat. Though Sonny has zero experience and doesnt consider himself political in the least, he decides to throw his hat in the ring . . . and he wins. As Sonny navigates life in politics, from running a campaign to negotiating in the capitol, he must learn the ropes, weighing his own ethics and environmental concerns against the pressures of veteran politicians, savvy lobbyists, and his own party. In tracing Sonnys attempt to balance his marriage and morality with an increasingly volatile professional life, Lawrence Wright has crafted a hilarious, immensely clever rollercoaster ride about one mans pursuit of goodness in the Lonestar State"--… (more)
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Lawrence Wright is a Texas-based staff writer for The New Yorker, and Pulitzer Prize winner for "The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11".

"Mr. Texas" is a novel about a failing rancher who, after a feat of heroism, is recruited to run for the state legislature. Squeaking out a 27-vote lead, he heads to Austin, where with no political experience or knowledge of how the Lege really works, he has to navigate the power brokers, the lobbyists, and his own sense of ethics. Turns out, he's not the pushover his party thought he was.

Molly Ivins (oh, how I miss her!) once said, "No one is safe when the legislature is in session." And, boy, oh boy, does Wright lay out the truth of that. Here's his description of Budget Night: "the climax of the session, an all-night Walpurgisnacht, when deeds are done and blood is spilled and dead bills rise from their graves." Here in Illinois, we just stop the clock.

Oh, and there's a battle for Speaker of the Texas House, too. Just happened to read that part on the day Jim Jordan lost the second vote for Speaker of the U.S. House.

Funny and insightful, highly recommended.
  lilithcat | Oct 18, 2023 |
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"Sonny Lamb is an affable, if floundering, rancher with the unfortunate habit of becoming a punchline in his Texas hometown. Most recently, he bought his own bull at auction, saving it from being sold to a slaughterhouse. But when a fire breaks out at a neighbors farm, Sonny makes headlines in another way: Not waiting for help, he bolts to the farm and heroically saves the familys daughter and her horse, riding the animal out of their burning barn. Within days of the event, he attracts the notice of a mysterious man named L.D. who arrives at his door and asks if hed like to run as a Republican for his districts representative seat. Though Sonny has zero experience and doesnt consider himself political in the least, he decides to throw his hat in the ring . . . and he wins. As Sonny navigates life in politics, from running a campaign to negotiating in the capitol, he must learn the ropes, weighing his own ethics and environmental concerns against the pressures of veteran politicians, savvy lobbyists, and his own party. In tracing Sonnys attempt to balance his marriage and morality with an increasingly volatile professional life, Lawrence Wright has crafted a hilarious, immensely clever rollercoaster ride about one mans pursuit of goodness in the Lonestar State"--

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